Sneed fires up CMU for win over Eastern Illinois

AP PhotoCentral Michigan wide receiver Jean Pitts makes a diving catch for a touchdown during the second quarter.

MOUNT PLEASANT -- Ontario Sneed showed no signs of rust.

And Dan LeFevour was as slick as ever after a slow start.

Sneed, the Central Michigan University senior running back who just started participating in contact drills Sunday after ' a broken arm he suffered in spring ball, rushed for 64 first-half yards and scoring the team's first touchdown to supply the early spark

LeFevour's arm took over from there, throwing three touchdowns in a game for the ninth time to lead Central Michigan to a 31-12 win against over Eastern Illinois in the season opener before 19,732 fans at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

"I felt good," said Sneed, who had 88 yards rushing on 13 carries along with four receptions for 43 yards. "I practiced all week to try and get back in a groove and help the team out. I thought I gave the team a spark."

That first spark came with just under 12 minutes to go in the first half when he scored from 23 yards to break a 3-3 tie.

"You could see the bounce in his step during practice this week," Central Michigan coach Butch Jones said. "I told him I thought he was going to have a good game because the way he practiced."

Playing with the lead helped calm the first-game jitters for Central's offense, but it wasn't until a big defensive play that turned the game around.

After Central Michigan turned the ball over on downs deep in Eastern Illinois' territory, senior defensive end Frank Zombo forced a fumble on the Panthers' second play of the drive that was recovered by senior nose guard Casey Droscha.

One play later, quarterback Dan LeFevour hit junior wide receiver Jean Pitts on an 18-yard score for a 17-3 lead at the break.

LeFevour threw two more scores in the second half to give him 56 for his career, tops on the team's career list.

"They are not a bad defense, and you have to give them credit." LeFevour said. "Beyond that, I just needed to settle in and get into a rhythm. Once I started making some completions, I felt I got into a groove."

LeFevour competed 21-of-31 passes for 217 yards. Nine completions went to former Rockford standout wide receiver Bryan Anderson, who finished with 66 yards and a touchdown.

Anderson is now third all time in Central's reception list with 172 and fourth on it touchdown catches with 16.

Jones left impressed with the Panthers.

"Eastern Illinois is a physical force up front, and we found that out tonight," Jones said. "I just never felt we got into a rhythm (on offense), and that is something we need to work on. But I thought it was a typical first game. The thing think I'm really pleased about is that we did not turn the ball over."

CMU notes
• The Chippewas recognized former coach Herb Deromedi, who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame at a ceremony in South Bend, Ind. in July, at halftime of Thursday's game. Deromedi coached the Chippewas for 16 years, and is still has the most wins at the school and in the Mid American Conference with a record of 110-55-10. Deromedi's coaching career ended in 1994 when he stepped down to become Central Michigan athletic director. He retired from that job in 2005.